At This Rate, We Will Be Broke in No Time

The Man-Cub brought home his report card yesterday; he has all A's and B's and a current GPS of 4.2.

We typically pay $5 for A's and $3 for B's, which means that we owe him $31 for this card. I also paid $41 for his yearbook this past week, and, the child hit us up for money for butter braids that he is selling through FBLA.

Over the next several months, we will be paying for basketball fees, baseball fees, graduation announcements, a graduation party, and all of the other random expenses that come with raising a child to adulthood, and you know what?

He's worth every penny.

That Football Game Was a Tough Act to Follow

We had a great weekend here at Casa de Chelle, which, wasn't hard to do with that awesome football game to kick it off.

Sleeping in on Saturday didn't hurt, either. Well, some of us slept in, some of us went hunting; care to guess which of those two activities I indulged in? Yep, the inside of my eyeballs never looked so good.

Once I did finally give up the Sleeping Beauty act, I spent a bit of time editing pictures from Friday nights' game before Mom and I headed over to the school for the volleyball games, where I was scheduled to sell Pirate wear for the Boosters.

The volleyball team was hosting it's annual Pink Out for Cancer fundraiser and Mom and I had both done our part to support the cause by purchasing and wearing our Pink Out t-shirts. Later, at the afternoon games, the Man-Cub did his part by outbidding several other people for the privilege of cutting one of the volleyball girl's hair, which, as in years past, was donated to make wigs. I think he had fun.

While the Cub was sawing through a ponytail, Mom and I went to Hooterville for some retail therapy and a Starbucks fix. The weather was absolutely gorgeous, which made me feel silly for purchasing a new knit headband and scarf, but, they will be perfect for the Senior Night football game later this week, so, I couldn't resist; I'm sure my head, neck, and ears will thank me when the next cold front moves in.

On Sunday, I got to sleep in again (See? Best weekend ever!), before taking the Cub for yet more senior pictures, before returning home, where I spent a large part of the rest of the day catching up with projects in my scrapbooking room while Mom and the Cub watched football and Hugh wet hunting again.

In hindsight, it wasn't a particularly busy or eventful weekend, it was just relaxing and enjoyable. Apparently, I can get behind relaxing and enjoyable.

One last thing: BCPE and I worked on a run-through banner for Friday night's game. We worked really hard on it, and, when it came time for the cheerleaders to hold it up for the boys to run through, they goofed around until it was almost too late, hoisting it up mere seconds before the team crashed through. So, the crowd really didn't get a chance to see our efforts. This bummed me out because I drew and painted a bulldog, and, people, I am no artist. I worked hard on that damn dog and he didn't even get his fifteen minutes of fame. So, I'm posting it here. Because, it's my blog and I can.

We Are Officially Official

Booster Club President Extraordinaire and I finally got our official press passes yesterday. And, by "got", I mean "printed our own from the internet". Whatever, no one tried to stop us from crashing the field for pictures at last night's game. And, before you ask, no, no one has ever tried to stop us from crashing the field for pictures before, but, it's always better to be safe than sorry.

The actual press was out in full force last night and both the sports editor and sports photographer from the Hooterville Daily Press thought our passes were quite creative and they gave us a lot of pointers on where to stand for the best pictures. They also asked us to send pictures we take when we are at out-of-town games, so they can run them in the paper, which flattered us, immensely, as I'm sure you can imagine.

Anyway, it was a good thing that we were on the field last night, because we got some awesome shots of an awesome game; a Pirate victory, 28-21 in overtime. It was a win that we needed in order to have any hope of a run at post-season play, and, keeping those hopes alive was important since both the Man-Cub and Tones were on the sidelines last night. With an extended season, they will both get in at least a couple more games.

Which, also means that the Mamarazzi will have more opportunities to flash our press badges. Win-win!

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Yesterday, I posted my outdoor Halloween decorations, so, it seems only fair to give the indoor decorations some love today.

I stayed with the old tried and true for the most part...

...and, added a few new pieces, including this wreath, that I made from eyeballs purchased online. I am almost 100% happy with how it turned out, which, means there is a slight chance that I will still be tweaking it, although, how, I do not yet know.

The eyeballs came in a set of either 8 or 10 (I can't remember off the top of my head), and I used the remainder of them in other random places, including this vase on the entertainment center.

 I ordered the rat skeletons at the same time that I ordered the eyeballs, and they are sprinkled throughout the house (Sprinkled? Is that the correct term one uses when posing plastic bones about the place? I'm thinking, no). The Man-Cub arranged this one behind my antique magnifying glass, which I thought was a stroke of brilliance (He gets that from me, I mean, obviously).

In a mix of old and new, I have my trusty old witches' cauldron, along with a new animated spell book; it lights up and the feather "pen" magically writes! So cool!

There are a number of other things placed throughout the house, but they fall into the "tried and true" category and have been featured on the blog more often than they would probably like, so, I'll wrap this up for now. And, by now, I mean, until I see another awesome, cannot pass up, wickedly cool Halloween item that I simply MUST purchase.

Because that could totally happen.

The Witching Hour

I finished my outdoor Halloween decorating last week, just in time for a windstorm that could have been devastating, had Hugh not taken such care in securing my decorations; lucky for me, he did.

The theme for this year's yard and porch decorations evolved from items that I had on hand, a bit of inspiration from Pinterest, and, from the fact that Hugh has always harbored a deep suspicion that I was possibly burned at the stake in a prior life. I thought I would humor him.

I'm pleased; I have no doubt that the neighborhood kids will love it. Actually, they already love it; we had quite the audience while we were setting everything up.

Now, if the weather will just cooperate, we will still be "be-witching" them right up until the witching hour on October 31st.

Fingers crossed. Or, maybe I'll just cast a spell...ha! I'm kidding, Hugh (or, am I?)

It's That Time Again

We lost my dad two years ago, today. I don’t write about grief here very often, not because we aren’t all still suffering through it, but, because Dad would not want me to dwell on it; he would want me to face it head-on, to deal with it and to show it who’s the boss.

That’s easier on some days than on others, and, not so easy today, I’m afraid.

See, the thing about grief is, you can be having a perfectly lovely day, the sun can be shining, the birds can be singing, and you can have not a care in the world, until…a song comes on the radio, or you smell a particular brand of aftershave, or, you see a silver-haired man in khaki shorts, reading the newspaper on a bench in the mall…and, it hits you full-force and with a resounding smack; grief is a ninja, and, a vicious one at that.

The Grief Ninja can also be quite stealthy, seeping into your dreams, stealing into your subconscious, bringing you down for days at a time with no clear perspective of why, exactly, you just can’t seem to shake this sadness. I mean, life is good, right? Kids are healthy, everyone is warm and fed, what the hell is wrong? Oh….,yeah.

I mean, it’s not like you ever forget, exactly, but, maybe you have managed to reach some precarious level of détente, you and Grief, but, maybe, sometimes, that bastard doesn’t hold up his end of the deal.

Because, grief isn’t a one-and-done deal; you don’t get past it, you don’t overcome it. You learn (if you are lucky) to live with it, to share headspace, and to co-exist with it in the best way that you can manage. You know, until you don’t.

Today, I don’t.

And, that’s ok.

But, tomorrow?

Tomorrow, I am going to show that Ninja who’s the boss,  because, my dad would want me to.

I'm a Proud Member of the Mamarazzi

A few days ago, the football coach's wife posted this picture on Facebook..

...she titled it The Mamarazzi, and, the nickname has since stuck; Booster Club President Extraordinaire and I wear it with pride. In fact, we are working on our press badges, which we intend to wear at the last two regular season games, and, we intend to do it with pride.

Why? Because, I can't count on both my hands the number of kids and parents who have thanked us for the photos that we regularly post on the Booster Club Facebook page; a lot of them have said that, without our photos, they would have none. That breaks my heart; it also makes me even more determined to capture those moments that I know parents want to remember.

So, yes, Mammarazzi and proud of it.